1776

1776 is a delightful musical celebration of the founding of The United States of America. The story centers around the familiar historical characters as they organize a movement for independence from Mother England. All events lead up to that most significant date, July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Opinion

From the critics

Community Activity

Comment

Saw this item listed in the library's "Recently Reviewed DVDs" page. Never heard of it as it was released in 1972, grandparent time but couldn't pass up one with those glowing reviews. Happy to report that it was indeed a highly entertaining historic fiction on the debate and signing of our Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia's Independence Hall. If you like the recent musical play 'Hamilton', suggest to give this old fashion Broadway play a go. Per wiki and other critics like Roger & Ebert, there are numerous historical inaccuracies but it served to cover key issues that concerned The Founding Fathers who forged and signed the document that gave birth to our nation. Some of the song lyrics still bark loudly and ring true in our society today. Others were plain witty and hilarious. And all performed by charming Broadway pros, members of the original Broadway cast, not actors who are pseudo singers.

Great film with witty dialogue and catchy tunes. It not only tells the story of the birth of our nation, but humanizes our founding fathers quirks and all. Very entertaining!

rose_friedman
Sep 08, 2013

Best movie ever!!!!! Also the best one-liners on the part of Mr. Adams.

MARIE E METZ
Jul 06, 2013

This movie is a part of our 4th of July tradition. It shows our founding fathers as real men, who didn't take breaking from England lightly. I find myself caught up in the dispute and the suspense. I always find that I am moved to tears by the gravity of signing this document.

Great movie and equally good performances, especially the guys playing John Adams (obnoxious and disliked) and Ben Franklin. Humor and drama combine with details we don't remember anymore, like the summer heat and the desperation of General Washington and his troops fighting the British, along with the personality clashes while trying to get a unanimous vote on the Declaration. To think it could have been lost and we would be West New England now.

Quotes

Pages upon pages of quotes in IMDb on account of the film's age and popularity. Here is one of the numerous:

[on the anti-slavery clause]

Thomas Jefferson: I have already resolved to release my slaves.

Edward Rutledge: Oh. Then I'm sorry, for you've also resolved the ruination of your own personal economy.

John Adams: Economy. Always economy. There's more to this than a filthy purse-string, Rutledge! It is an offense against man and God!

Hopkins: It's a stinking business, Mr. Rutledge, a stinking business!

Edward Rutledge: Is it really now, Mr. Hopkins? Then what's that I smell floating down from the North? Could it be the aroma of hy-pocrisy? For who holds the other end of that filthy purse-string, Mr. Adams? Our northern brethren are feeling a bit tender toward our black slaves. They don't keep slaves! Oh, no. But they are willing to be considerable carriers of slaves to others. They're willin'! For the shillin'. Or haven't you heard, Mr. Adams? Clink, clink.

"For ten years, King George has diddled these Colonies...What in hell are they waiting for?!" By the way, esp to EuSei, our Founders were not that religious, and certainly not theocrats. This goes *double* for our first and greatest President, George Washington, who was almost certainly an atheist, just as many of us Americans have the good sense to be. For more on that point (of this nation's true founding principles, as well as the authentic quotes and sentiments that support them), you may want to do more and better research in that domain. For example, you might look at the Treaty of Tripoli, which specifically states that this nation was *not* founded on religious (esp not xtian) principles, that America is *not* a xtian nation, and then expand your research from there. You're Very Welcome. :)

rose_friedman
Sep 08, 2013

John Adams: "I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, 2 a law firm, and 3 or more become a congress!"

rose_friedman
Sep 08, 2013

"and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, " sorry EuSei but the founding fathers would say that... this remains one of the best historical movies I have ever seen.

EuSei
Jul 06, 2013

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

EuSei
Jul 06, 2013

"The right to be free comes from nature." From... nature?! Excuse me? I can't imagine any of the Founders, who were deeply religious men, making this statement! "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their CREATOR [not nature!] with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."